David Irving is seeking reinstatement by the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys aren’t ruling out a reunion, taking a “wait and see” approach
The Dallas Cowboys need help on the defensive line and it’s a group that will be heavily looked into for free agency and April’s NFL Draft. Wish lists include many high pedigree players, but a former Cowboys who has been out of the public eye for a year might be making his way back into the league, David Irving.
Last March, Irving retired in a cloud of smoke, citing the league’s anti-marijuana position after he was suspended indefinitely. With reports the league is about to loosen their restrictions to be more in line with several states, there’s a chance Irving will be able to make his return. He’s already filed his reinstatement papers and despite how he left the organization last year, there may be interest in his return.
Irving has been a player who has flashed both great potential and a lack of desire to improve in his short stint with Dallas. The Cowboys signed Irving off of the Chiefs practice squad in 2015 after he was a UDFA signing. In limited action, he registered 13 tackles and a half-sack in 12 games.
When the 2016 season rolled around, Irving saw his playing time increase appearing in 15 games with two starts. He had four sacks on the year, with a standout performance in Week 6 against Green Bay. Irving wrecked the Packers offense almost single-handedly with three forced fumbles (recovered one), a sack and a pass defended in only 19 snaps. For his efforts, he would be named NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
In May 2017, Irving was suspended for the first four games of the season due to violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. Once he was on the field, though, he was once again causing chaos. Irving totaled 22 tackles, seven sacks, six passes defended, and a forced fumble in the eight games he played in. However, he would suffer a concussion and miss four more games. Irving’s seven sacks led all defensive tackles before he was sidelined.
Irving’s 2018 season, much like the year before, got off to a rocky start. On June 15, he has suspended four games again for a substance abuse violation. On July 25, he was placed on the reserve/did not report list to start training camp as he dealt with his off the field issues centering around a custody battle. On October 6, he would be added to the active roster, however, he only played in two games before suffering a high ankle sprain on November 1 and didn’t play again.
On March 1, 2019, Irving was indefinitely suspended for once again violating the league’s policy on substances of abuse. Just days later, he announced his retirement from the NFL, mainly due to their stance on marijuana.
Rumors about the player’s work ethic were bandied about, and a few weeks later in an interview with USA Today’s Jori Epstein, Irving made it clear the majority of his organizational clash stemmed from the coaching staff.
“[Head coach Jason Garrett] told me I should just quit, smoke all the weed I want, the team didn’t need me,” Irving told USA TODAY Sports in a wide-ranging phone interview Thursday. “I’m a distraction to the team.
“He views marijuana as a drug, whereas I view it as a medicine. It’s not a good situation.”
“Basically, Jerry, he is supportive of me,” Irving said, adding Jones didn’t agree with all parts of the league substance-abuse policies. “He understands my situation and what I was dealing with. Our hands were pretty much tied. His hands were tied.”
Jones is well-known to be at the forefront of wanting the league to change their policy about smoking, as alongside Irving’s plight has been that of Randy Gregory, who also is serving an indefinite suspension.
Following his retirement, Irving has become an activist for cannabis legalization and treatment and even opened his own business that focused on CBD-related products.
Irving’s reinstatement application is of course timely, in sync with the turn the league has made when it comes to marijuana use.The league is poised to dramatically reduce testing and punishment for marijuana under the new CBA that’s soon to be voted on by the players.
If Irving is reinstated, the Cowboys won’t overlook it, in fact, they’ll be paying close attention.
The organization will undoubtedly be watching how that unfolds.
At 6-foot-7 and 290 pounds, Irving is a cyborg along the defensive line. His versatility to play either on the interior or rush from the perimeter could allow the Cowboys to use a plethora of combinations on the defensive line. He can either cause havoc on the interior and free up DeMarcus Lawrence, or he can rush from the outside and create one-on-one situations for interior lineman due to the attention he would receive.
Or, he could just be missing the sizable NFL paycheck, have scapegoated the former coaching regime for his issues and if he returns will show the same lack of interest in building on his physical skills he did over the final year of his time in Dallas.
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